Enoch

A Devotional Series from Genesis

Online Bible Audio/Readings Links (ESV)

4/22 Reading Portions: Leviticus 26; Psalm 33; Ecclesiastes 9; Titus 1

Genesis 4:17

Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. When he built a city, he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch.

INITIATED

“Who did Cain marry?” is a question often asked by both believers and unbelievers alike. If Adam and Eve had many other sons and daughters over Adam’s 930 years on the planet (Gen 5:4-5), Cain could have chosen a sister, or possibly a cousin from a conservative estimate of possibly several hundred other people.

Cain named his son, Enoch. Enoch’s name in Hebrew, חֲנוֹךְ (chen-ŌK), means “initiated.” It comes from a Hebrew root that means “discipline,” “train up,” “dedicate,” or “initiate.” But departing from the presence of the LORD (Gen 4:16), Cain cannot raise a good and godly son. There are no exploits given in this narrative to Moses from God concerning Enoch as an individual. Therefore, taking into consideration the rest of the chapter, and coupled with what we know since the beginning of the chapter, Enoch has been “initiated” into being a slave to the land (see devotional from Gen 4:2); in other words, initiated into the things of the world, trusting in the works of the flesh—which is what Cain was guilty of (Gen 4:2).

Because of Cain’s curse—the ground not yielding its strength to him (Gen 4:12)—Cain changes occupations—he attempts to build a city. But he will not be able to finish it because the curse for his murderous ways ran deeper than his mere growing of crops: it was a curse upon the lustful labor of his hands. Thus, the city was “initiated” but never complete. So, he called the city Enoch, the same name he had given to his son.

Without the gracious, saving presence of YHVH God, Cain’s progeny and his productivity may be initiated (started), it may be dedicated (honoring another), and it may be undertaken with a modicum of discipline, but the fruit of his loins and the fruit of his labors would always be incomplete. The thread of this spiritual truth runs throughout the Scriptures, all the way to Christ’s return: that apart from the presence of Christ (Heb 13:5), you and I may start many things, but only in Christ Jesus will they ever be complete; for we are complete in Him (Col 2:10), and only complete in Him and through Him (John 15:5).